Going Home
by Ranna's Heart
Summary: TLC #3- Lirael meets Nick on the other side of the Wall.


Story number three in the Lirael Chronicles.

Also, just to let you know, this will be the last TLC based around events mentioned in the books themselves. Future stories will be much more original. I just felt that I had to set up the foundation for my stories first.

Let me apologize in advanced if the dialog doesn't match up to what happen in _The Creature in the Cage_. I don't have a copy of the story on hand at the moment and no desire to go pick one up from the library. Then again, this _is_ a fanfiction.

**Disclaimer: all characters mentioned are property of Garth Nix. I'm just borrowing them for the time being. No money will be made off of this fan fiction. Please don't sue me, I'm just a poor college student and wouldn't be able to afford the legal fees seeing as I just had to by a new battery and alternator for my poor little car.**

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><p>When Lirael had left Abhorsen House earlier that day, she didn't know what she had expected to find on the other side of the Wall. Reports had come from Wyverly College that there was some sort of creature wandering about close to the Wall.<p>

She did however know for a fact that she had never expected to run into the very person who had consumed her thoughts from the very first time she had seen him at the Red Lake in the Clayr's vision.

Nick.

And covered in his own blood, it's bright red a sharp contrast to the pale color of his skin, running freely down his arm while a creature out of old books and horror stories hunched it's tall, thin form over him. A chain of flowers falling apart around it.

Fortunately for all of the people involved except the creature, Lirael knew exactly what it was and promptly set about to find the one thing that would end its existence. At least end it for the next couple of hundred years that is.

A very much unloved thistle found itself for the first time to be stronger than any blade or even the bullets that sought to bring down the creature and became the ultimate weapon.

Well, when attached to the end of a staff, that is. There was no need to get _that_ close to the creature.

The creature taken care of, Lirael was able to go and take care of the tired, confused and injured Nick who was currently trying to wrap up his arm with bandages made from the tattered remains of his once good white dress shirt.

Silence reigned after Lirael tentatively took over the job of bandaging Nicks arm and explained to him how she had come to be there at that moment.

However, unlike Lirael, Nick did not seem to care for the silence which was the moment rather awkward and soon began to yatter on as he appeared to be prone to do.

"Is that your new hand? Sam said he had made you a new one. And you did too, of course. By the way you have lovely handwriting. Do you copy all of your letters over so that they all are that clean? I shudder to think how much paper I would waste trying to do that."

Nick mentally slapped himself as he blushed. Compliment on her on her handwriting? Is that the best you can do? At least the shadows of the night should hide the unmanly coloring of his cheeks.

Lirael blushed as well at the compliment and looked back towards the wall before softly giving Nick a reply.

"I've just done a lot of writing."

All Nick could think about was how pretty she looked standing there with the bright moonlight reflecting off her raven hair. Unknowingly to Lirael, he remained silent for a couple minutes that he could admire her as he had been able to do only once before.

Meanwhile Lirael herself began to slowly recollect her gear for her trip back.

"Are you returning already?"

Lirael slightly jumped at the sound, as if she had forgotten he was there.

"I don't see any need to stay. The job is done and my home is on the other side of the Wall. I suppose this will be our goodbye."

Nick looked downcast at this announcement.

However, Lirael was not yet done speaking.

"Would you please do me a favor Nick?" she quietly asked.

Eager to hear what she would want of him he answered "anything" with as much enthusiasm as the blood loss would allow.

Surprised at his quick response, Lirael had to take a moment to collect herself before giving her reply as she stared down at the tops of her soft leather boots.

"Please try to stay out of trouble."

"Perhaps since you always seem to be the one saving me from the trouble I find, I should just go with you."

He had originally said this as a sort of joke, but soon found himself sincerely wishing she would say yes.

Once again surprised, all Lirael could think of was to blurt out "but I thought you had wanted to stay across the Wall?"

Nick was able to quickly respond as this matter had been on his mind since they had parted all those months ago.

"Originally I thought it would be best for me to go home. I knew what was expected of me there and I fit in and all of that. To be quite frank, the thought of going to live on the other side with you… I mean Sameth, terrified me.

Yet, I found myself regretting that decision as soon as I arrived home. At first I thought everything had changed when I finally realized, it was just me. That odd dog had done something to me before sending me back to life, which I still have trouble believing despite all that I've seen. I think it called it a baptism something or other. It really was an odd dog. I swear I had a dream about it once where it had some sort of great, feathery wings and could fly around.

But to get back on subject, I had actually been trying to get a pass to the other side of the wall for the last couple of weeks but I keep getting denied. Or just plain blocked. I'm not entirely sure which on it is. Politics and all.

It's just that lately I've been feeling rather antsy, like there is something important that I'm missing. Like what should be the basics needs for my biological survival just like they teach us in school, composed of breathing, eating and drinking. It is just no longer enough. Like there is something else, something that I have no name for that I also need…"

Nick began to trail off with a lost look on his face.

"But then I got letters from both Sam and you and I finally realized what that thing I now needed was. Well, not _exactly_ what it is that I was missing but I got a fairly good idea of where I would be able to find it. The letters from you two have been the only things keeping me sane.

Although I suppose some people would argue that I had lost my sanity anyways. I have even thought at times that I had lost my sanity. At some point I'm almost expecting to wake up and find out this was all a dream even though I'm not actually creative enough to have a dream like this."

"You're not crazy Nick." Was all that Lirael responded.

"Well, you may be the only person who thinks so. Might as well go and cart me off to the loony bin with all the other crazies."

Lirael just shook her head and continued to stare down at the top of her shoes.

"I still need to go back Nick, but…" Lirael trailed off.

"But what?"

"Would you like to come back with me?"

Nick froze and stared at her once again.

"I would love too."

Lirael glance up at his face to see him grinning down at her like a fool and swiftly dropped her gaze down once again.

That was definitely a statement for her to psychoanalyze later.

After helping Nick to stand, the two of them slowly made their way back to their crossing point. Nick using Lirael part of the way for extra support.

When they were finally on the other side of the Wall and making their way back to the Paperwing that Sabriel had recently taught her how to fly, Nick, suddenly unsure of himself, asked Lirael "Will they accept me back after all the trouble I caused?"

Still staring at the ground in front her Lirael quietly responded "We all know that it wasn't your fault Nick. No on holds it against you."

"Then I have a favor to ask you."

Uncertain, Lirael timidly nodded her head.

All of a sudden Nick gently grabbed her chin and lifted it up to look at her.

"Please look at me in the eyes" he said with a lopsided smile.

Liraels eyes widened in shock as a blush once again began to spread across her face, her mouth voiced "alright" before her mind had truly grasped the situation.

Nick remained there, holding her chin up and staring into her eyes longer than he had originally intended, unable to look away.

Lirael almost wondered if he was going to kiss her and how it would feel. She actually didn't mind the idea of receiving her first kiss from Nick.

It wasn't until storm clouds began rolling in that they finally broke apart and Nick noticed the Paperwing for the first time.

"What is this? Is it like one of our airplanes? I don't see any source of power? How can this thing fly?" His questions came at an amazing speed.

That was when the situation she was in finally hit Lirael.

This was going to be a very long flight home.

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><p>Please leave a review.<p>

Thanks! ~Ranna


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